Miranda Jane Caird Originals
Education: Distinction in Art at High School, Majored in Art at Wellington Teacher’s College graduating in 1992
Residency: A six week residency offered by the Mackenzie Country Arts Council in 2011.
Awards: Merit Award, the Great Waikato Art Show 2009. Open Class Award, Waimarino Art Awards 2010
Miranda is a full time Artist, based at Whale Bay, Raglan. Her work has found its way into private collections around the world, both with off shore Kiwis and visitors to New Zealand. In 2009, she was interviewed for nationwide Japanese television, with a viewing audience of 8 million people. In 2011 and 2012 she was included in group exhibitions held by Camden Gallery Of Fine Art at Camden Civic Centre, Camden, NSW, Australia.
Miranda is interested in events that have shaped the landscape from ancient times, when Zealandia broke away from Gwon dāna Land, through to the recent events of human habitation. She speaks about past and present in her work, creating striking pieces with a distinctly South Pacific feel.
Pattern and movement are strong elements in Miranda’s work. A variety of brush strokes, are used in both opaque and translucent layers, bringing vibrancy to the work. Clean lines define forms and provide clarity.
Her key statement about her work is “Painting is more about narrowing down the infinite, than it is about coming up with an idea.”.
AN INTERVIEW WITH MIRANDA J. CAIRD
Living and working out of a quaint batch overlooking the ocean in Raglan, New Zealand, Miranda Jane Caird is a talented Kiwi artist. She paints landscapes in an alternative style and is perhaps best known for her representations of Aotearoa's stunning mountains, lakes and surrounding sea.
Miranda is largely self-taught, she majored in art at Wellington Teachers College, but found that the structured style of teaching art in schools did not suit her. She started painting professionally in 2003, and her work has appeared in New Zealand art calendars.
Miranda says that, for her, a painting is more about narrowing down the infinite, than it is about coming up with an idea.
We caught up with Miranda Caird to find out more about what inspires her paintings.
What inspires you to paint?
I find infinity a wonderful concept. Intuition gives us infinity, no matter how you look at it, it rings true. There is an infinite number of ways to paint.
I am inspired by European impressionists and New Zealand artists like Rita Angus, Don Binney and Robin White. I am also inspired by my homeland; the sea, land and sky are a constant source of inspiration.
You're based in the North Island, what's it like being represented by Central Art Gallery in the South Island?
It is awesome, I really love being part of the gallery. I have been a single mum based in Raglan for a number of years and my son Zac, recently moved to Australia. I like to hide and look out at the world from this small surf town. It is very close to nature, which I love. I get great representation and support from Central Art Gallery director Julia, which lets me focus on being inspired by my surroundings and creating art.
What makes you're art unique?
I have a unique style which people often recognize as mine. It is about the way in which I play with shapes and textures. I play with abstract patterns in the snow, water and geographical features. I like to explore multiple textures, designs and patterns in defined areas.
How do you go about creating a new piece of artwork?
I see them in my minds eye first. I used to do a lot of sketches for inspiration, but now I take photos, thousands of them, whenever I travel. I often use books, the internet and talking to people, to research the places I am painting, I love to immerse myself in the scene and get a sense of history and background information about the place. I have a friend who was formerly a Milford Sound tour guide and translator, her anecdotal stories are influencing my paintings of that area that I am working on at the moment.
What do you seek to do through your artwork?
Currently, I am most interested in surf art as a pure form of art. It is often seen as a lower form of art, but I like to support it being seen as fine art. It is becoming a more sophisticated style and particularly in surf spots like Raglan, there a lot of interest in it. I am often inspired by the travelers, locals and surfers I meet around here.
When you're not painting, what do you get up to?
I get into the ocean! I enjoy paddle boarding, snowboarding, horse riding, walking. I love connecting with nature, simply pottering around enjoying the New Zealand environment.
